Golf: Kevin Flack grinds his way to 3-shot lead in Rockford Men’s City

Sunday

Jul 27, 2014 at 7:29 PMJul 27, 2014 at 7:29 PM

By Matt TrowbridgeRockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — Kevin Flack’s brain was more tired than his body after dealing with swirling winds at Sandy Hollow.

“I’m mentally exhausted,” he said after shooting a 2-under-par 69 to open a three-stroke lead Sunday in the Rockford Men’s Golf Classic at 5-under 137. “It seemed winds were 15 to 20 mph and switching every shot, but I was missing in the right places and avoiding making bogeys.”

When Flack finally made his first bogey, he made two, on Nos. 5 and 6 after starting on 10. But he bounced right back with a birdie on 7.

“That kept me in it,” he said. “It was just a grind all day. I’m proud of the way I hung in there and got it under par.”

He was the only one to do so. First-round leader Danny Gorman followed his 66 at Ingersoll on Saturday with a 74 and is tied with defending champ Robert Dofflemyer III (67-73) for second at 2-under 140 at the midpoint of the Men’s City.

“I started off way too tight, trying to do way too much,” Gorman said. “I was thinking about another 66 when you’ve just got to go out and see what you have. I was pressing from the beginning. The last eight holes, I played 2-under, so I saved myself.

“If I could go back,” said Gorman, who hit only five greens in regulation, “I’d tell myself to just relax and swing like I normally do. But that’s golf. You struggle. I’m just glad I saved it toward the end.”

Matt LaMarca was fourth at 141, four strokes back, and Kyle Slattery fifth at 142 with a pair of even-par 71s. LaMarca made a late move with his only birdies on 14, 15 and 16.

“I just plodded along. I didn’t think the birdies would ever come,” LaMarca said. “If they come in bunches, or if they come anyway, as long as they show up at some point in time, I’m happy.”

Seven golfers were bunched at 144 to 146, leaving 11 within six strokes of second place.

Former champ Jeff Holmgaard (146) three-putted three of his last four holes “so I sort of threw it away.” Yet he spoke for many: “I gave away a lot, but I’m still in the hunt.”

So did Matt Marinaro (146): “The wind was tough. You couldn’t pick a club.”

Eight-time champ Jamie Hogan and Brandon Negri were tied for sixth at 144. Elliot Hurst and Johnny Canova were at 145. Holmgaard, Marinaro and six-time champ Chris Beto were at 146. Beto, who almost didn’t play because of a bad back, got there with only 12 pars, making 14 bogeys and 10 birdies in two days.

“That’s weird, but that’s the way it is,” Beto said.

Flack and Slattery were the only two players with a better score Sunday than Ron Cosler (75-72—147), who shot his age two weeks before he turns 73.

“Actually, I played better Saturday than I did today, but I didn’t make any putts yesterday,” said Cosler, who finished with a birdie on the 583-yard No. 9.